


Stay Your Course

by snickerdoodlles



Series: AkaYona Tarot Series [1]
Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, He looses, kye-sook takes yona on in verbal war, so badly, takes place during the xing arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:54:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snickerdoodlles/pseuds/snickerdoodlles
Summary: Kye-sook has prepared for hundreds of scenarios, thousands of possibilities. He’s ready for a tantrum, for the princess hiding behind her guardian of the week, for hysterical wailing to sway their soldiers to pity.He is not prepared for a woman with fire in her eyes, steel in her spine, and arrows in her words.
Relationships: An Lili & Yona, Kye-Sook & Soo-Won (Akatsuki no Yona)
Series: AkaYona Tarot Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953073
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	Stay Your Course

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by the Strength major arcana tarot card

Kye-sook is a man born to be an advisor.

Administration bows before him—there’s no paperwork that can pile ahead of him, no system he can’t improve. It’s a war of bribes, favors, and blackmail to claw his starting position from the previous staff head in charge of Yu-hon’s castle, but once Kye-sook has his footing, he _flies_.

But it’s his true talent that sweeps him into Yu-hon’s shadow and later keeps him in Soo-won’s—his ability to grasp someone’s faults with just a glance. To merely look at someone and know exactly where they’ll thrive, delegating duties so efficiently the rumor mill murmurs he has the gift of premonition. Soldier forces, spy networks, castle staff—no matter the system, there’s never one Kye-sook can’t master.

It’s because of this talent that he recognizes the leader Soo-won will become before anyone else.

It’s because of this talent that he sees the rest of the royal family and finds them _lacking_.

King Il, a doddering fool more concerned with his daughter’s useless favor than the failing kingdown right outside his castle walls. Princess Yona, a demanding child without a care beyond her dresses and her jewelry.

Soo-won stages a coup to save his rightful kingdom. Kye-sook aids him because Soo-won _knows_ him, knows the path he walks.

Kye-sook would’ve done it for less.

The princess surviving is...annoying. A blemish in an otherwise immaculate plan. The Thunder Beast defecting is the actual problem, but he’s so busy babysitting the princess that Kye-sook reluctantly yields to Soo-won’s subtle displeasure and stops sending assassins after them.

Kye-sook _knows_ her weaknesses. He _knows_ the princess is nothing. This is why she’s allowed to stay alive. Kye-sook would not have been swayed otherwise, no matter the lingering sentiment Soo-won holds.

So why is it now, when Kye-sook rides to war, when she stands before him alone with no weapon, that _Kye-sook’s_ the one unable to move?

Kye-sook has prepared for hundreds of scenarios, thousands of possibilities. He’s ready for a tantrum, for the princess hiding behind her guardian of the week, for hysterical wailing to sway their soldiers to pity.

He is not prepared for a woman with fire in her eyes, steel in her spine, and arrows in her words. He is not prepared for a woman who cut their force in half with just a word, who threatens the stability of their ranks with just a sentence, who opens negotiations on behalf of a kingdom that isn’t hers with no cards to play.

This isn’t the princess. This isn’t the brat they drove from the castle and chased off the cliff. This isn’t the princess, because Kye-sook _knows_ her. The princess is not capable of stopping a kingdom, of stopping _Soo-won_.

So how is she the one standing in their way now?

A soldier runs off to fetch her a horse, because nevermind that she is an enemy, nevermind that she is supposed to be dead. Soo-won doesn’t look at any of them, his mask still cracked. General Judo does nothing either, instead glares over the tops of their soldiers’ heads. Lady Lili is _embracing_ Yona because, apparently, they are _friends_.

Kye-sook buries his annoyance and kicks his horse a few paces forward. Lady Lili is making plans to have _tea_ when this is over, as though a war is a mere hiccup in their social calendars. Kye-sook knows Yona’s companions helped during the siege of the forts, but so did the Sky Tribe and they have not been extended the same courtesy as this...this _woman_ receives.

Yona breaks off the conversation as he draws close. Kye-sook remembers the princess fleeing the castle—she could barely look even her savior in the eye. Now, her eyes level with his feet, she looks down on him as though _he_ is lacking.

“How fortunate,” he says, voice like a well-oiled blade, “that you’ve found such strong companions during your travels.”

Lady Lili’s head snaps up as she glares at him, pretty features contorted into a fierce scowl. The woman that used to be a princess, the spoiled brat of the castle, is unruffled. She gently tugs Lady Lili’s sleeve and Lady Lili swallows her protests without complaint. Kye-sook’s eyes narrow to slits.

“Yes,” Yona easily agrees. Her expression betrays none of her feelings. “I am very fortunate to have found such loyal friends when I was weak.”

Kye-sook hums. She’s finally learned how to act like royalty. “Yes, I hear your dogs are _quite_ loyal. I’m impressed they let you leave them behind.”

Lady Lili is flushed red, eyes ablaze. But Yona’s hand still grasps her wrist, so she says nothing. Yona’s expression has yet to change from its flat indifference, but she radiates disdain all the same. “My friends know where they are needed, and where I am needed in turn. Their efforts need not be wasted in escorting me.”

“Ah yes, Lord Soo-won did mention they’d been captured.” Finally, a crack in her mask. “Curious that they haven’t broken out yet, given their strength.” Yona glares at him now, eyes blazing like the sun. Kye-sook bows his head politely, like how he used to greet King Il, and delights in how a shadow of a scowl darkens her face.

“I’ve heard so many wondrous things about those companions of yours,” he continues politely. “How incredible it must be, to have such bonds given to you.” He tilts his head thoughtfully. “I wonder how deep a bond like that could truly be though. I follow Lord Soo-won because he knows me. How far your dogs would go for you?”

“ _Hey_ —” Lady Lili snarls, only to be cut off by Yona tightening her grip. A soldier finally returns with the horse for her and her Xingese companion. Yona turns away from him to hug Lady Lili before she departs and Kye-sook can’t help the smirk he levels at her back.

Yona turns back to him before she leaves though. Her expression is one of sympathy and understanding. Kye-sook sees _pity_.

“I am indeed grateful to my companions for all that they’ve done for me. I would never ask them to throw their precious lives away for me.” She smiles a politician’s smile. Her eyes _blaze_. “I hope that one day, you may find such a friend as well.”

Kye-sook freezes in his fury, and does not move from his position until Soo-won moves forward and Kye-sook follows in habit. They don’t travel for long before Lady Lili pulls alongside him, temper barely dammed and a most unladylike scowl upon her face.

“Yona’s _strong_ ,” she says, glaring. It doesn’t hold the same fire as her friend’s, but her eyes glitter with the promise of a storm. “You can’t threaten her. It won’t work.”

Kye-sook raises a brow. He's an advisor to the king of Kouka. Yona lost her status the night King Il lost his life.

Lady Lili looks more frustrated than she was when she began, face screwed up as she spits her words. “You don’t see her. But you’ll fail if you try to fight her, and it won’t just be you that loses.”

Kye-sook snorts delicately. Which is _rude_ , but he can’t help it, and it has the benefit of annoying Lady Lili so that she rides away from him to go bother Soo-won instead. Kye-sook doesn’t particularly care—Yona managed to curry favor in high places because she has loyal dogs with godlike strength. Today she’s shown she bluffs her way through high stakes situations and relies on her companions for the rest. And she’s played far too many gambits this time, revealing all the cracks in the kingdom’s foundation to Kye-sook’s hawkeye gaze.

_Yona_ may have won this battle, but now Kye-sook knows the cracks that need plastering. She may have used her companions to garner favor before, but Kye-sook knows how to play pawns too. Kye-sook is a man born for administration—Yona can have this round.

He will have the next.

**Author's Note:**

> originally wrote this for a zine i later dropped. there's another piece with the same theme for the tower card that's i'll post later XD 
> 
> tbd if i make it a longer series inspired by more tarot cards


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